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January 31, 2014

Top Portfolio Products: New Site Tracks, Compares MLPs

Advisors Asset Management and ISI launch unit investment trust; more

New products introduced over the last week include a website to track master limited partnerships from MLP Data.

In addition, Advisors Asset Management and ISI teamed to launch a unit investment trust, and Litman Gregory started offering model portfolios to advisors.

Here are the latest developments of interest to advisors:

1) MLP Data Launches Content and Analytics Site to Track MLPs

MLP Data LLC has announced the launch of MLPData.com, its content and analytics site dedicated to providing investors with transparency in the publicly traded master limited partnership (MLP) market.

The site offers professionals and investors the ability to compare and analyze the total universe of MLPs by performance, distribution growth and distributable cash flow coverage; to review and select from among MLP funds by yield, performance and premium/discounts, as well as to follow the money flows of funds; track and monitor the real-time yield performance of private lists of funds and MLPs; and find interest rate sensitivity via graphs that indicate historical yields and spreads.

2) U.S. Manufacturing, Energy Growth Powers New Unit Investment Trust

Advisors Asset Management Inc. has teamed with International Strategy and Investment Inc., the money management arm of International Strategy and Investment Group LLC, to launch a unit investment trust (UIT), the American Renaissance Portfolio, Series 2013-1.

The UIT seeks to achieve above-average total return primarily through capital appreciation. ISI Inc. acts as the UIT’s portfolio consultant, selecting stocks that have the potential to benefit from the firm’s three “American Renaissance” economic growth drivers — resurgence and renewed competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, U.S. energy independence resulting from growing production of low-cost energy, and favorable long-term labor costs and demographics.

3) Litman Gregory Offers Model Portfolios

Litman Gregory has announced that it is now offering its proprietary active-core/opportunistic-satellite model portfolios to advisors through Placemark Investments. The model portfolios are available through Placemark’s unified managed account platform, UMA Marketplace.

Advisors have access to four distinct risk-managed global portfolio strategies, each using the Litman Gregory Masters Funds as actively managed core equity and alternative strategies holdings. As portfolio strategist, Litman Gregory will pursue tactical opportunities to add returns, make ongoing risk management decisions, and adjust manager exposure as needed. The models are offered to advisors with no additional strategist fee.